Cape Town gives go-ahead for Madiba statue

NELSON Mandela will reside forever on the balcony of Cape Town’s City Hall.

Yesterday, the council gave the green light for the Western Cape government to instal the statue as part of its National Liberation Heritage Route.

It will be erected on the spot where Mandela addressed thousands of South Africans for the first time after he was released from prison in 1990.

But the motion to have the statue of the icon installed did not go without drama at the full council sitting.

ANC leader in council Xolani Sotashe had a go at the DA, saying the party consisted of “white bosses and black stooges” – quoting Madiba.

He later called for the head of the King Edward VII statue located on the Grand Parade facing the City Hall.

“They [Mandela and King Edward VII] represent two different histories in the world.

“Madiba is a champion of the human cause [and] the fellow that is there now came from Europe . . . we are asking politely, take that man back to Europe in London,” Sotashe said.

He said the history of South Africa was that the oppressor had lived with the oppressed.

“It can’t be correct that Madiba during his lifetime fought and even in his grave he is still facing the coloniser.”

The Democratic Independence party and Freedom Front Plus did not support the installation of the statue‚ saying the money could be used somewhere else and the majority of the comments during the public participation period were not in support of it.

But mayoral committee member Brett Herron said: “It is really sad that we have two one-person parties who can bring narrow-minded self interest that seeks to divide us around Madiba.” –